A X-ray technician or technologist is a medical professional in charge of taking x-rays for a doctor. A starting X-ray Tech earns a median salary of $56.000 per year. This salary is affected by several factors. A few of these are:

Location

Experience

Employment

Industry

An average salary for a x-ray tech who has been working one to three years is $33.00 per hour or $63,000 per year. Hourly pay for an x-ray tech can vary. Location is a key factor in determining hourly wage.

Each state has a different wage for x-ray technicians. Some states pay x-ray technicians more and others less. The lowest paying states pay $50,000 per year, whereas the highest paying states pay $77,000 per year. Below is a list of x ray technician salary’s separated into regions:

Northeast: $77,000

Southeast: $72,000

South: $60,000

Mid-West: $65,000

Central: $60,000

Mountain-West: $50,000

West: $77.000

The East and West coasts have the highest income for x-ray techs. California and Massachusetts are the highest paying states in their region. The Mountain-West and the South are the lowest paying regions. Utah and Mississippi pay the lowest for x-ray technicians in Mountain-West and in the South.

Even at the lowest salary of $50.000 per year, x-ray techs can support themselves individually or support a family comfortably. In all states, x-ray technicians hourly wages are higher than the minimum wage. In most states, $33.00 an hour is double the minimum age.

How does Education and Experience Effect a X-ray Technician’s Salary?

Experience:

X-ray Techs who work more than three years can be rewarded with a raise in their salary. Also. experienced techs start at a higher salary than those who are just out of college. Depending on the employer. and experienced worker’s salary can start at $78.000 per year in the West or Northeast. In the South or Mountain-West, salaries and raises start at $56.000 per year.

Seasoned techs are x-ray technicians that have worked 15 years or more in the radiology medical field. Seasoned techs also have an increased salary. Seasoned workers typically receive five to ten thousand dollars more than experienced workers. A seasoned x-ray tech’s salary also is dependent on where the x-ray tech is located.

Education:

To become an x-ray technician it is only necessary to complete an Associates Degree in Radiology or a related field. Completing an Associate of Science degree typically takes two years. Another option for a starting x-ray tech is to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Radiology degree in four years.

X ray technicians who complete a four-year degree have a higher salary than those with only a two-year degree. The salary for a x-ray tech who has a B.S. degree is similar to the salary of an experienced x-ray tech; one to six thousand dollars more than a x-ray tech with a two-year degree.

How does Xray Tech’s Income Vary by Industry?

X-ray technicians or imaging techs are employed in several different Industries. The type of Industry an imaging tech is employed by affects their salary. For example, is an imaging technician works in a doctor’s office her/his salary median salary is $54,000 per year. General Medical Hospital imaging techs earn $60.000 per year. An imaging technician can work in the following industries with the following average salaries:

Salaries for First Year Imaging Techs

Median Paying Industries (70% of imaging techs work in one of these industries)

Offices of Physicians: $54,000

Medical Laboratories: $58,000

Diagnostic Laboratories: $58,000

General Surgical and Medical Hospital: $60,000

Outpatient Care Center: $61,000

Specialty Hospitals: $65,000

Government Hospitals or Clinics: $62,000

Top Paying Industries (30% of imaging techs work in one of these industries)

Commercial Machinery Rental and Leasing: $74,000

Industrial Machinery Leasing and Rental: $74,000

Scientific Research and Development Services: $73,000

Management of Companies and Enterprises: $71,000

Has the Salary of an Imaging Tech Increased in the Last 5 years?

A median imaging technician made more money in 2017 than an average imaging tech in 2012. A starting average salary for an imaging tech in 2012 was $23.00 per hour. In 2017 that average hourly wage for an imaging technician was $33.00.

Throughout the United States, because of variation of salaries. some imaging techs still only make $23.00 an hour or less in 2017. Fifty percent of all imaging technicians made $33.00 per hour. Fifty percent of imaging techs earned either more than $33.00 per hour or less than $33.00 per hour.

Although the median hourly salary has increased in most areas of the United States, over the last five years the wage had remained fairly the same. In some states like Utah, the yearly salary for an imaging tech was $50,000. In 2017 the median yearly salary was still $50,000.

Do Imaging Techs Receive Bonuses?

An Imaging Technician can receive a bonus for quality work. Whether or not an imaging technician does earn a bonus is dependent on their employer and supervisor. Many physicians in private practices who have imaging professionals in their employment do give yearly bonuses. These bonuses range between fifty to three hundred dollars a year.

Some hospitals and companies also give out bonuses. Employers can give an employee a bonus anytime they choose, they are not limited to once a year. Some specialty hospitals are known to give out random bonus throughout the year for excellent bedside manner. Other imaging equipment companies give out monthly bonuses for a large number of rentals or leased equipment.

Conclusion

Imaging Professionals earn a high wage. Income for imaging techs is above the average national minimum of ten dollars per hour. The average hourly rate for imaging technicians in 2017 was $33.00 per hour.

Location, Industry, Experience, and Education all have an impact on an imaging professionals earnings. Imaging professionals who work in California, have a four-year degree, three years experience and work in an Equipment Leasing company make $80,000 per year. Imaging techs who work in Utah, have a two-year degree, have no experience and work in a doctors office, earn $50,000 per year.